Getty Raiders interim GM Champ Kelly (left) and Antonio Pierce. Could they have interest in a Justin Fields trade?
We have seen some of the good from Raiders rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell. But alas, the more he plays, the more we see the bad: He holds the ball too long, he has a tendency to overthrow, he can be too aggressive, he almost never runs. That is, perhaps, one reason we’re already getting Las Vegas rumors about future quarterbacks. The folks at Bleacher Report have an interesting one: a Bears-Justin Fields trade with the Raiders.
Now, much would have to fall in just the right way for the Raiders to trade for Fields. First, the Bears would have to land one of the Top 2 picks in the draft to ensure they are able to draft either USC’s Caleb Williams or North Carolina’s Drake Maye.
Second, the Raiders front office, currently led by interim GM Champ Kelly and coach Antonio Pierce, would have to see enough from O’Connell to determine he is not their guy from here on. And third, the Raiders would need to be sure that they like Fields more than the second-tier quarterbacks — and there are some good ones — in this year’s draft, because Fields is likely to cost a first-round pick.
If all that happens? Well, then seeing a Fields trade to the Raiders makes some sense.
‘On the Hunt for a Franchise Quarterback’?
Here’s how the writer of the article, Alex Ballentine, sees the justification, assuming all of the above conditions are met. Remember, Chicago has Carolina’s first-round pick this year, and Sunday’s improbable Giants win over Washington has put the Panthers in the driver’s seat for the league’s worst record, at 1-9.
The Bears are 3-8 this season and could easily wind up factoring into the No. 1 pick conversation with their own pick. They’re only a game out of the No. 2 pick. At 5-6, the Raiders are in line to pick 14th. It’s likely the Raiders would have to include that as the main hook in a Justin Fields trade.
“If that’s the case, any team who is on the hunt for a franchise quarterback but won’t have the draft pick to take the top two options could be in play,” Ballentine wrote.
“The Raiders made a move for Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, but with Josh McDaniels out of the building, they are a good candidate. Fields would give them a dynamic, promising quarterback for a new head coach to build around.”
Justin Fields Trade Would Makes Bears’ Problem a Raiders Problem
The big question for the Raiders, or anyone wanting to make a Justin Fields trade, is whether he is worth it. Bears are 1-6 with Fields as the starter this season and, as the Raiders well know, Chicago went 2-2 with undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent at the helm.
In his career, Fields is 6-26 as a starter. He has established himself as the best running quarterback in the league — and one of the best runners, period — and ran for 1,143 yards last season, with an incredible average of 7.1 yards per carry. But the Bears were too predictable without Fields acting as much of a passing threat, and they’ve tried to force him to throw more this season.
While Fields has been better as a passer, he is still mediocre at best, and the team’s record reflects that.
Earlier in the year, it seemed a Justin Fields trade was inevitable, as he was clearly unhappy and criticized the team’s coaches for making him, “robotic.” He later “clarified” his statement, saying he had not meant to criticize the coaches.
O’Connell has had his struggles, too, and according to the Pro Football Focus grading system, he comes in with a 50.6 grade, which is 35th out of 38 graded quarterbacks. It would make some sense for the Raiders to at least seek to add another quarterback in case O’Connell does not improve.
But a Justin Fields trade? As talented as he is, that feels like the Raiders would be just letting the Bears out of their own problem and creating one for themselves.